Report on tuberculosis by ECDC and WHO/Europe

Across the WHO European Region 461,645 tuberculosis (TB) cases were reported in 2008, representing about 6% of the TB cases reported to WHO worldwide. After an increase in overall TB incidence rate between 2004 and 2007, the WHO European Region has reported a decrease of 2.6% since 2007. In the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA), the new figures show that 82,611 TB cases were reported in 2008. While the declining trend continues, the report notes that the decrease recorded between 2007 and 2008 is the smallest decline over the past four years (1.2%).

Acting Director of ECDC, Professor Karl Ekdahl, underlines the point: “The slowing down in the decline of TB within the EU/EEA highlighted by the report, along with the underachievement in terms of treatment success among TB patients, are matters of concern. Progress towards elimination can only be sustained by ensuring that pillars of TB control such as treatment monitoring and reporting are strengthened and optimised.”

"The report released today shows a serious situation with regard to TB in Europe. The WHO European Region, with just over 70% of new TB cases successfully treated, has the lowest treatment success rate in the world compared to other WHO regions, and the highest levels of drug-resistant TB," says Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe.